


For the Sake of Family

by NerdyChicksHaveMoreFun



Series: For the Sake of Family Trilogy [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Adventure, Eventual Romance, F/M, Family, Friendship/Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-23
Updated: 2014-05-23
Packaged: 2018-01-26 07:01:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1679060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NerdyChicksHaveMoreFun/pseuds/NerdyChicksHaveMoreFun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The thing about beasts, is that most of them were human once. I'm not sure if I ever was, and when my brother, Killian, was left in my charge, I discovered there's no line I wouldn't cross to keep him safe. So when Ian gets stuck in Neverland, I go to the Dark One for help. And so begins the start of something I can never truly have, because even beasts can love. (OCxRumple)</p>
            </blockquote>





	For the Sake of Family

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This story starts during Fairytale Land times, when Rumple and Bae flee their little town so Bae doesn't have to join the army (also the one where Rumple becomes the Dark One), and goes from there. Just a warning, this first chapter and some of the second chapter is just gonna be setting things up for the rest of story, so they might not have as much action.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time of any their characters. I only own my opinions of those characters and the characters I make up.
> 
> Reviews=love

**Chapter 1:**

In all the years I've been blessed-and cursed- with magic, I cannot recall ever wanting to use it so cruelly and so mercilessly on a man, that I shake uncontrollably with pure rage when I'm held back.

I also never recall allowing some mortal _man_ to hold me back, and that in itself nearly causes me to completely lose any shred of self-control I pretend to possess.

I guess there's a first time for everything.

The situation began like this: three days ago I was approached by a man who 'required my unique skill-set' (whether he was referring to my magic or my warrior prowess, he didn't specify until later). Apparently my reputation preceded me to the small town where I'd stopped for a drink in the local bar, and this poor sap, a local farmer, was desperate enough to approach me and strike a deal.

The deal was simple enough; if I could get rid of a unicorn that the farmer swore was eating his crops, and weave a couple spells to ensure that he had an ample harvest for years to come, he would direct me to a certain magical dagger he'd heard I'd been interested in.

I was intrigued, to say the least, and, having no particular plot to nurture, and at the time not having the energy to seek excitement by knocking a couple of the local bullies heads around (it's become one of my favorite- and rather amusing- pass-times, as it helps keep my combat skills sharp and helps to satisfy my deeply-rooted hate for such people) I decided to entertain the adventure.

The plan, much like the deal, was nothing complicated; meet him in the forest at the edge of town in three days, just before dawn, and he would lead me to his farm from there. I didn't question his secrecy; in a small town, rumors fly fast, and I doubt he would like people to learn that he needs help from 'one of those magic-wielding vermin' (as I heard one of the townspeople put it), and from a woman, no less.

And so I find myself on a road leading out of town in the wee hours of the morning with the farmer, as planned. What we didn't plan on, however, was the townsman and his son who fleeing the village. The farmer had yanked me into the bushes (I was very close to breaking the hand he laid on me) before we could be seen.

Though I was not happy with waking up before dawn just to be manhandled into thorny bushes (this farmer was lucky I had nothing better to do) I remained silent. At first, I thought the pair would just pass us by. They stopped and handed something to a beggar we hadn't noticed, but other than that they looked like they would wonder by uninterrupted.

Until a certain conscription officer and his lackeys rode up.

I recognized his type immediately; the cruel, predatory look in his eyes, the arrogant set of his jaw, the way he sat in the saddle as though everyone else were below him and he knew it.  

From our hiding place, I could easily hear the insults the officer threw at him, and they set my blood boiling; the names he started out with, though not nice, were bearable, but then the officer was telling the boy things about his father that a boy should never have to hear.

I'd almost leapt from the bushes when the officer ordered the man to kiss his boot.  

My anger peeked then; no one should be treated like this, and it was made all the more despicable that the conscription officer seemed to delight in doing it in front of the man's son.

The man was trapped, we all knew it. And so he did as the officer asked, making my gut twist in anger and sympathy.

I studied the officers sick, twisted smile, imprinting the image in my mind so I can find him later and take my time in wiping that cruel grin from his face.

When the officer landed a sharp kick to the man's side, I actually did leap out of the bushes, surging forward, planning on teaching that bastard about the humility he seemed to think others should show to him. The farmer was faster than I gave him credit for, though, grabbing my shoulder and yanking me back down.

And that summarizes the situation and the reason for my intense anger up to this point.

"He's just some coward spinner. He's not worth it." the farmer hisses, keeping a rough hand on my shoulder. I slowly turn to glare are it, and I'm sure my face gives the impression that I plan to cut it off- an idea that I take into consideration. His face pales slightly and he quickly jerks the limb away, running it shakily through his hair.

"Neither are you. Yet here I am, helping you out." I growl condescendingly, looking him the eye. I turn back, prepared to jump to the spinner's defense, only to find the officers riding away and the beggar from earlier helping the man limp away.

We wait for the group to move out of sight before rising to our feet. The farmer looks down, picking leaves off his clothes with a relieved sigh.

"That was close. We're lucky they didn't see y-" his voice cuts off as I bring my fist down across his face with all my might. There's enough force behind that punch to rival that of any man, and the stunned farmer stumbles back and trips, sprawling on the ground. I glare down at him, fighting the urge to wrap my hands around his throat and squeeze until he quits struggling. The idea has an appealing ring to it.... and no ones around....

I chase any murderous thoughts from my head-for now. No, I need the man alive if he's to point me in the direction of my dagger.

" _Never_ hold me back again." I growl, voice quiet but nonetheless dangerous. "You have _no_ right to decide who needs help and who doesn't."

Any color drains from his face at the sudden change in events and the evident threat in my voice.

"I-It won't happen ag-gain." he stammers. I allow a ominous smile to cross my face.

"No. It won't. Now, wheres this 'unicorn'?"

* * *

I’m pleasantly surprised when we spot the unicorn the second the farm comes into sight; I thought I’d have to go through the trouble of tracking the beast, and not having to find it effectively halves the amount of time I expect to spend on the project.

“There it is. Get that beast off my property.” the farmer growls. I push down the mild annoyance that rises at the thought that a man thinks he can give me orders.

"I'll take care of it." I say with a dismissive wave of the hand. The farmer gives me a look I can't quite place, but he obediently turns on his heels and walks away.

I look back to the unicorn, smiling.

Time to get to work.

* * *

An hour later, I knock on the farmer's door. The unicorn, a magnificent black stallion with a beautiful, deadly horn a foot long, tosses his head impatiently next to me.

It hadn't taken me long to befriend the unicorn; a little magic to relay feelings of friendship and a love for horses made my job relatively easy. I almost feel as though I'm cheating the farmer; my part of our deal was actually rather fun, and it's gained me an companion and an alternative to walking, plus whatever information he can give me on the dagger.

I'm snapped out of my thoughts when the unicorn, (I'm thinking of calling him Shadow), nudges my shoulder playfully. I smile, summoning an apple from thin air and offering it to my new friend.

The farmer, looking rather bored, nearly jumps out of his skin when he spots Shadow over my shoulder.

"What the hell are you doing?!" he exclaims, glaring angrily from me to my steed. "You said you would get rid of it!"

"Yah, as in get it off your land." I say calmly. He stares at me, mouth agape.

"Thats not what I-I didn't mean- what I said was-" he stammers. Then his face twists into a mask of anger. "I meant that you needed to kill it!"

"I don't care what you meant. You are the one who failed to specify the details." I reply coldy. "I simply improvised a way to get the job done, in spite of your incompetence."

"Don't twist my words, witch!" he growls venomously.

"Mind your tongue, boy, before I cut out of your head." I snap, the tone holding the same fierceness but laced with a cold malice that few can match. The man takes a step back, as though suddenly remembering just who it is he's dealing with.

I'm no ordinary girl, to be looked down on and brushed away. I'm a warrior and a sorcerer, and few who’ve forgotten that didn’t live long enough to regret it.

“I’ve upheld my part of the deal.” I say icily. “Now it’s your turn.”

The farmer glances from me to Shadow, demeanor suddenly nervously submissive. Ah, the wonders a well-conveyed threat can do to a conversation.  

“The spells are in place?” he asks, his voice still holding the ghost of a command, but it’s considerably subdued.

“As promised. This miserable pig-stye will have a grand harvest for years to come.” I promise, allowing my annoyance and my contempt for the place to seep into my voice. “Now, for your part of the deal.”

“O-of course. I’ve got something to lead you to it. I-its inside. I’ll go get it…” he stammers,  and when I nod he disappears inside the small house.

I pet Shadow as I allow a triumphant to cross my face. In no time, I’ll have my dagger; I’ll be able to find Tor, and we’ll find a way to break my curse. And after that, we can have an actual life, maybe start families…

Something moves behind me, and in an instant I yank my sword free of it’s sheath and whirl to block the blow of the old warhammer the farmer attempts to bring down across my head.

Any normal sword would have probably been bent in half, and would have failed miserably at protecting me. But, like me, my sword is anything but ordinary. I lock my arms and channel magic through them, steadying them, and though my arms are painfully jarred, the hammer bounces off.

I can’t control the cruel, humorless laugh that escapes me then, promising dark things to come. The farmer steps back, pure terror flashing across his face as he sees how easily I deflect his blow, as he registers the dark humor I'm sure he can see in my eyes.

A moment of silence passes between us; me, quietly enjoying the fear in his eyes, him panicking. It seems that the more I get to know him, the stupider he becomes; his attack was very ill-conceived, seeing as how we both know I am the superior warrior, and seeing as how I'm effectively blocking the house's only exit. Yes, he is either very stupid or very desperate. Either way, the outcome will be the same.

I study him for a moment, deciding how I want to play this.

"Are you really stupid enough to think that that sad little attack would kill me?" I ask, voice genuinely curious and head cocked to the side questioningly. He doesn't reply for a moment, just stares back at me, deathly pale.

"What are you going to do to me?" he asks quietly, voice quivering. I smile sweetly. At least he knows there will be consequences, so maybe he's not as dumb as I thought.

"Kill you, of course." I reply. If it's at all possible, he appears to pale even more.

"Please, no, not that." he pleads. "I'll do whatever you ask. Tell you whatever you want to know."

"Yes. You will." I say coldly. "Now start talking. Why'd you attack me?"

"Y-you wanted to know about the dagger... and h-he said that if I killed you he wouldn't... wouldn't..." he stammers, voice cracking. Sympathy shoots through me, but I ignore it. This is business. This is no place for weaknesses like emotions.

"Who's 'he'?" I demand.

"The Dark One." the farmer whimpers. "He found me after we first met. He said that if I killed you, he'd forgive me for trying to tell someone where his dagger is."

Ah, so not stupid. Just desperate. I bet he doesn't actually even know anything about the dagger, I think bitterly.

I advance silently, sword ready, and the farmer backs up until he hits a wall. I hold my blade against his fat neck and lean in close.

"You're scared of him." I say. It's not a question.

The farmer nods.

"You should be infinitely more scared of me."

"Papa?" A quivering voice behind me asks, and I jump. Not taking the blade from the man's throat, I turn to look at the doorway.

Shadow has wandered a good distance away from the house-I can still see him through the doorway, but just barely-and a small boys now stands framed in the door. He can't be more than six, and this time when sympathy shoots through me, I can't ignore it.

"You have a son?" I ask, glancing back to the man I have pinned against the wall. I find it hard to believe anyone would want to bear his child-he's far from attractive.

"Get out of here, Johny." he hisses to the child, ignoring me and the blade at his throat.

Johny just looks at him, mildly afraid and confused. Then he looks at me.

"What are you doing with my Papa?" he asks, voice nervous but almost accusing. I glance from the look on his face to the farmer and back, until finally, with a sigh, I sheath my blade and step away.

It is said that I'm a murder, that I'm a monster, that I've committed atrocities and sins that the devil himself would be ashamed of. And it is one hundred percent true.

But I am not without morals, and there are two things I refuse to do. I refuse to let someone be bullied if I can do anything to stop it.

And I refuse to leave a child fatherless.

Without a word, I turn and stroll out the door. The boy steps aside and lets me out, shooting me a curious look. His eyes, I notice, have lost all their fear, though they still hold a good deal of confusion, and for some reason the absence of any distress relieves me.

I whistle and Shadow trots over, not protesting when I swing onto his back. I tug his mane slightly to get him to turn- something I don't like doing, but I'm left with no other choice, seeing as I don't have bridle. I'm about to spur him forward when a voice stops me.

"Wait!!" the farmer exclaims, arriving at the door. "You can't just leave us!"

I turn Shadow back to face him.

"Be grateful for your son, because he saved your life today." I growl, glancing at the boy before returning my gaze to the farmer. "I spared you for his sake, but I will not hang around this god-forsaken place any longer."

"If you leave us here, you mercy will have been for nothing." the farmer says. "The Dark One will kill us. _Both_ of us."

I see alarm flash across the boys face, and my blood boils. So far today I've let a man be abused, done a good amount of work with nothing to show for it, have had a mortal try to kill me, have had to spare a man I would immensely enjoy seeing dead; and now I have to protect not one, but two people I don't even know, all because that stupid farmer couldn't keep his mouth shut about the Dark One's dagger.

"Fine." I growl. With an almost lazy wave of the hand, I cast a spell, and the farmer and his son both glow red for a moment. "There. Now the only magic that can harm either of you is mine."

The farmer looks at me, shocked.

"Thank you." he says. I snort in reply, then turn Shadow and spur him forward. We gallop back to the road, and my thoughts turn once again to the dagger.

First things first, though: a saddle and bridle.

I'm following the road through the forest and back towards town, lost in thought, when a hooded form appears directly in front of us. I pull us short just before we run the man over.

Though I don't recognize the man himself, it's hard to ignore the dark energy rolling off him in waves.

"Tell me, to what do I owe the displeasure, Dark One?" I ask sarcastically.

He merely smiles.


End file.
